Apparatus for forming paper closure members for paper containers



W.' E. AMBERG FORMING CLOSURE MEMBERS Sept. 25,1951

APPARATUS FOR FOR PAPER NERS Original Filed Sept. 24, 1948 p.28 Y 2v y A IN VEN TOR.

A M w/fiww Patented Sept. 25, 1951 APPARATUS FORFORMING mirth-CL S RE MEMBERS FGR rnrcacon'mmeas Walter E. Amberg, Beverly Shores, lndi, assignor to Lily-Tulip Cup Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Originalapplication September 24, 1948','Serial No. 51,043. Divided andthis applicationOctober 12, 1949; Serial'No. 120';966

2 Claims. (01.- 93:36")

This invention is directed to apparatus for forming'paper closure members for paper containers and this application is a division of my co-'-pe"ndin'g application Ser. No. 51,043 filed September 24, 1948. Subject matter disclosed but not claimed herein is disclosed and claimed in said application Serial No. 51,0413 and my copending application Serial No. 120,965, filed Octoberrzl2; 1949.

Heretofore', various types of paper closure membersfor paper containers have been proposed and" utilized but they have all; for various reasons, failed to produce satisfactory results. Open-ended paper containers to be closed by internal groove adjacent thereto.

container. 7

nular groove of the paper container.

the contents.

paper.

paper container.

suremember, but here other difficulties are encountered. Since the paper cover having a flange received in the open end of the paper container and overlying the rim thereof is merely frictionally held in place on the container, it may be readily dislodged causing spilling of the contents of the container. Substantially any upward forceapplied to the flange, as during handling or packing the containers, will operate to dislodge the cover. It has been found that the use of friction alone for retaining the paper cover in place on the paper container is wholly inadequate. Here, also, tolerances are quite critical for if the fit is too loose leakage is bound This requires extra Since the paper closure members are usually provided with to occur. an external rim at the open end thereof and. an As a result of the foregoing difiiculties, great Paper 010- efiorts have been made toward the third type of sure members for' such paper containers have closure member, but here again inherent difbeen generallyof; three types, a stifi paper disc ficulties have been encountered. The paper cover adapted to fit in the internal groove of the paper 2 having a depending flange adapted to snap over container,- or a paper cover having a flange fricthe external rim of the paper container must, tionally received in the open end of thepaper of necessity, project beyond and below the rim container" and overlying the rim thereof, or a of the paper container. paper cover having a depending flange adapted space for the packing of the closed containers to snap; o'verv the external rim of the paper and also requires extreme care in handling and packing. If the projecting edge of the depending In the'fir'st type of paper closure member, the flange of the paper closure member is severely stiff'paper disc is difiicult to insert into the anbumped or is hung up on the top of an adjacent Extreme container during packing, the closure member carein application is required for any tilting of is almost invariably dislodged resulting in spilling the? paper disc or any application of uneven and contamination of the contents of the conp ss a y u t i p n th pap r tainer. Here, also, the tolerances are quite critidisc into the contents of the pap r Cont i er cal for, if the fit between the closure member with c nseque spilling and contamination of and the container is tootight, the application and The fit of the paper disc in. the removal of the closure member becomes difficult annulargroove is also critical for, if the fit is too and, if too loose, leakage will occur. ti ht; h p p di s too fi t t a p y, a d gripping action of the closure member takes if'the'fit is tooloose leakage will c r. vE place at the extremity thereof, it may be readily tremely close tolerances must be maintained and dimini h d b rough handling, this'is difficult and expensive to do with formed 40 The principal objectv of this invention is I After the p p discs are pp they provide apparatus for economically and autoare extremely difiicult" to remove and in this gticall forming an improved paper closure Co n cti it iS necessary to Provide removing member free from the difficulties above referred ta s o t e o e p p discs o assist in to and providing the advantages of easy insermov t Same from the P p Container- 5 tion into and removal from the container, se- Quiteoften these removing devices-tear Off from cure engagement, against dislodgement during the P p discs during thelemovingiopelatmn. handling and packing, not requiring critical fit Further, he rims of the paper containers ar not tolerances while at the same time providing a Protected y th Paper discs and theyv become leak-proof seal with the container and serving y-and contaminated and result inconta 5 to protect the rim or lip of the container from nation-of the contents when poured from the dirt and contamination.

The closure member which the apparatus of Some of the foregoing difficulties encountered this invention is especially intended to produce with the i use of the stiff paperdiscs are over:- isadapted for use'with a paper container having (.5 an-external rim at the open end thereof and' an come by the useof the second type'of: apercloa 3 internal groove adjacent thereto, the closure being made from a single sheet of paper board, and including a closure end wall portion and an integral side flange portion extending upwardly therefrom throughout the periphery thereof. The juncture of the end wall portion and the side flange portion consists of a compressed solid peripheral bead in alignment with the end wall portion and extending beyond the upwardly extending flange portion to form a reinforced peripheral extension of the end wall portion. In the intended use of said closure the side flange portion lies adjacent the open end of the paper container and the compressed solid peripheral bead, forming an extension of the end wall portion, snaps into the interal groove of the paper container and is held firmly therein. Thus, the paper closure member is positively retained in the paper container by the compressed solid peripheral bead.

Preferably, the upper edge of the side flange portion is formed outwardly into an external reentrant flange portion to overlie the rim of the paper container to protect the same from dirt and contamination. The side flange portion also operates to prevent plunging of the paper closure member into the contents of the paper container during application of the closure member and provides a strong and readily accessible means for removing the closure member from the paper container. Any application of force to the external reentrant flange portion of the paper closure member during handling or packing will not dislodge the closure member for it is firmly held in place by the external compressed peripheral bead engaging in the internal groove. Because of the seal formed by the side flange portion and external bead of the paper closure member leakage of the contents of the paper container is effectively prevented and close-fit tolerances are not required.

In general, the present embodiment of the invention includes a female die having an annular recess adjacent the bottom thereof and a bottom wall member movable in the recess between retracted and advanced positions, and a male die adapted to be advanced into the fem-ale die and to carry the paper board blank therewith into engagement with the retracted bottom wall to form the paper board blank into a closure disc portion and a side flange portion. The movable bottom wall is adapted to be advanced simultaneously with the retraction of the male die to deform outwardly and compress the side flange portion adjacent the juncture of the closure end wall and side flange portion into the recess of the female die to form the solid compressed external peripheral bead in substantial alignment with the closure end wall portion. There are also preferably provided an annular male rim die adjacent the top of the female die and an annular female rim die to form the upper portion of the side flange portion outwardly into the external reentrant flange portion.

Other objects and advantages will become ap parent to those skilled in the art upon reference to-the accompanying specification, claims, and drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a paper container with the paper closure member made by the apparatus of this invention applied thereto;

ZF'ig. 2 is an enlarged partial sectional view taken substantially along the line Z-2 of Fig. 1 illustrating the cooperative relationship between the paper container and the paper closure member;

Fig. 3 is a, cross-sectional view illustrating an embodiment of the invention, with certain portions broken away and with the parts in a position at the start of the forming cycle;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the parts midway in the cycle of operation.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Figs. 3 and 4 but showing the parts at the completion of the cycle of operation.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2 the paper container is generally designated at H] and includes a side wall I I which may be frustro-conical in contour for stacking purposes and provided at its bottom I2 with a bottom wall. The upper open end of the paper container is provided with an external rim [3 and adjacent the upper open end of the paper container it is indented outwardly at It! to form an internal groove 15.

The paper closure member adapted to be made by the apparatus of this invention is generally designated at H and it includes a closure disc portion I8 and an upwardly extending side flange portion [9. The upper edge of the side flange portion I9 is provided with an external reentrant flange portion 20. The juncture of the closure disc portion I0 and side flange portion I9 is deformed outwardly to form an external compressed solid peripheral bead 2] at the juncture, the bead being in substantial alignment with the .disc portion l8 and extending beyond the side flange portion I9.

The paper closure member I1 is adapted to be received in the open end of the paper container H3. The external bead 2|, forming a reinforced extension of the closure end wall portion I8, is received in the annular groove l5 'of the paper container and the side flange portion 19 may frictionally engage the side wall ll of the paper container adjacent its open end. The external reentrant flange portion 20 overlies the rim I3 to protect the same from dirt and contamination.

' To apply the paper closure member to the paper container all that is necessary is to insert it in the open end of the paper container, whereupon the external compressed peripheral bead 2l snaps into and engages in the internal groove I5 and the'side flange portion may frictionally engage the side wall of the paper container. The side flange portion l9 and th external reentrant flange portion 20' operate during application of the closure member to prevent plunging of the same into the contents of the paper container. Because the external compressed peripheral bead 21 is a continuation of the closure end wall portion IE it is firmly held in engagement with the internal groove I5. This firm engagement, especially when taken in conjunction with the, frictional engagement of the side flange portion [9, prevents the paper closure member from being dislodged during handling or packing, also provides an effective seal between the paper closure member and the paper container and eliminates the necessity for extremely close-fit tolerances as heretofore required.

In order to remove the paper closure member from the paper container, all that is necessary is to uncurl a portion of the external reentrant flange portion 20 so that it may be firmly grasped to pull the closure member from the container. Upon such pulling the external compressed peripheral bead 2! of the paper closure member is 'snappedout of the internal groove [5.

aseaees Referring more particularly *to' Figs. 3-5: the

.' present embodiment of the invention in'cludesa ."fem'aledie having a bottom wall member '21 which ism'ovable between'aretracted position illustrated in Figs; 3 and 4 and an advance position illustrated-in Fig.5; a male die movable relative to saidfemale die from a retracted position illustrated in Fig. 3 to'an'advance'position illustrated in Fig. iyand a die ring 31 surrounding die .25 being of complementary-shapeand of such relative dimensions as to provide, between the male die 3t and lip 29 on female die 25, a pcripheral space approximately equal in width to th thickness of the paper board to be operated,

uponf(said thickness hereinafter being referred to as paper board thickness) and so as to prO- vide between theplunger'Sil andperipheral wall of recess 26 a peripheral space whose width is sub 'stantially greater than one paperboard thickness and preferably less than two paper boardthicknesses.

The female die 25 is preferably provided with an upwardly extending shoulder 28 constituting a male rim die cooperatively disposed with respect to a complementary groove, provided in the ring 3|, constituting a female rim die, which surrounds the male die 30. The ring 3| is movable from a retracted position as illustrated in Fig. 3 to an advance position as illustrated in Figs.

4 and 5 and together with the complementary portion 28 of die 25 provides die means for forming the closure rim 2% and serves for clamping the partially formed article during the latter part of the cycle of operations.

Fig. 3 illustrates the parts of the apparatus at the start of the forming cycle. A paper board blank HA, circular in configuration for forming the paper closure member ll, is inserted on the top of the female die 25 as illustrated in Fig. 3. The male die 39 is then advanced to carry the paper board blank with it into engagement with the movable bottom wall 2! of the female die when the bottom wall is in its retracted position. This operation forms the paper board blank into a closure end Wall portion ['8 and a side flange portion IS.

The ring 3i is then advanced and cooperates with the shoulder 28 on die 25 to form the external reentrant flange portion 20 on the upper edge of the side flange portion l9. At the end of these operations the parts take the positions illustrated in Fig. 4 wherein th paper board blank is formed into a closure end wall portion I 3, a side flange portion I9, and an external reentrant flange portion 20.

After the parts are in the position illustrated in Fig. i the end wall portion [8, the external reentrant flange portion 20 and the side flange portion i9 remote from the juncture of the end wall and flang portions are confined by the dies. Then the movable bottom wall 2'! is advanced simultaneously with retraction of the male die 36 to the positions illustrated in Fig. 5. This simultaneous movement of the movable wall 21 and the male die 33 operates to deform and compress the side flange portion adjacent the juncture of the closure end wall portion and side flange portion of the paper closur member outwardly into the annular recess 26 to form the solid compressed external peripheral bead -'-2 l The simultaneous movement of the bottom wall 27 and the male die 30 is -such as to compress the deformed externalperipheral bead 2l so that it becomes --a solid compressed external peripheral bead-which permanently holds its shape.

'To removethe formed paper closure member from the machine the bottom wall-'21 of the female die, the male die 3! and the femal rim die 3| are retractedand a plunger 32 is -moved upwardly against the center of the closurewall "8 to snap thespaper closure member from the annular recess 25. positionto repeat the cycle of operation. If desired, the female die 25 may be radially severeclintoa plurality of segments and they may be moved outwardly for the purpose of clearing The parts are then in the the. external peripheral bead 2| of the paper closure member to. provide for readyv removal .of thepaper-closure member from the machine in the event thatsnap removal is not desired. The

Various die parts are moved by suitable means, such as hydraulic motors or th like.

Thus, the method of forming the paper closure member includes forming paper board disc into a closure end wall. portion and a side flangeportion, forming the edge of the side flange portion into an external reentrant flange portion, and outwardly deforming the juncture of the closure end wall portion and side flange portion into a compressed solid peripheral external bead 21 in substantial alignment with the end Wall portion is to produce a reinforced peripheral extension of the end wall portion.

While for purposes of illustration one form of this invention has been disclosed, other forms thereof may become apparent to thos skilled in the art upon reference to this disclosure and therefore this invention is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. Apparatus for forming a paper closure member from a paper board blank comprising, a female die having an opening adjacent the top thereof for receiving a male die and an annular recess adjacent the bottom thereof and a bottom wall movable in the recess, a male die movable into the female die opening, the outside dimensions of said male die being complementary in shape to the interior'of said female die and of such size relative thereto as to provide therebetween at said opening a peripheral space of a width approximately equal to one thickness of said paper board blank and at said recess a peripheral space of a width substantially greater than one thickness of said paper board blank, means for moving the male die downwardly into the female die to carry the paper board blank therewith into engagement with the bottom wall to form the paper board blank into a closure end wall portion and an integral side flange portion, to confine the closure end wall portion between the male die and the bottom wall and to confine a part of the flange portion remote from the juncture of the end wall and flange portions between the male die and the female die, and means for simultaneously moving the mal die upwardly and the bottom wall upwardly within the annular recess in the female die to compress the unconfined flange portion Within the annular recess in the female die into a solid compressed peripheral head in alignment with the end wall portion to produce a reinforced peripheral extension of the end wall portion.

2. Apparatus for forming a paper closure memher from a paper board blank comprising, a female die having an opening adjacent the top thereof for receiving a male die and an annular recess adjacent the bottom vthereof and a bottom wall movable in the recess, a male die movable into the female die opening, the outsid dimensions of said male die being complementary in shape to the interior of said female die and of such size relative thereto as to provide therebetween at said opening a peripheral space of a width approximatel equal to one thickness of said paper board blank and at said recess a peripheral space of a width substantially greater than one thickness of said paper board blank, a lower annular rim die adjacent the top of the female die, an upper annular rim die movable with respect to the lower annular rim die, means for moving the male die downwardly into the female die to carry the paper board blank into engagement with the bottom wall to form the paper board blank into a closure end wall portion and an integral side flange portion, to confine the closure end wall portion between the male die and the bottom wall and confine a part of the flange portion remote from the juncture of the end wall and flange portions between the male die and the female die, means for moving the upper rim die toward the lower rim die to form a reentrant portion on the free end of the flange portion and to clamp the same, and means for simultaneouly moving the male die up wardly and the bottom wall upwardly within the annular recess in the female die to compress the unconfined flange portion within the annular recess in the female die into a solid compressed peripheral head in alignment with the end wall portion to produce a reinforced peripheral extension of the end wall portion.

WALTER E. AMBERG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

